Stylus protection mechanism



.C. W. DANN STYLUS PROTECTION MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. l5, 19474 lwentor Da'rl es 'Wl Dann 2 Sheets-sheet 2 C. w. DANN STYLS PROTECTION MECHANISM Uct. 3, 1950 'Filed out.. 15, 1947 Gttorneg Patented Oct. 3, 1950 2,524,561 STYLUS PROTECTION MCHANISM Charles W. Dann, Malden, Mass., assignor to Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, West Orange, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 15, 1947, Serial No. 780,036

7 Claims.

This invention relates to commercial phonographs, suchas dictating machines, and more particularly to an improved safeguarding mechanism for such machines, which is of a type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,380,727. This safeguarding mechanism is one which is adapted to prevent the phonograph recorder and/or reprol ducer hereinafter generally referred to as the phonographic translating means-from being moved into an effective position with respect to the record support unless a record is mounted on that support, the purpose of this mechanism being to prevent the styli of the translating means from being broken by impingement against the record-backing member or support should the operator inadvertently shift the translating means into an effective position without a record being mounted on the record support.

The objects of the present invention are to provide a simpler, more economical, easier voper-- able and more dependable such safeguarding mechanism.

These and other objects and features of my inthe left of the rearward standard II there is a flange I5 running to the left side of the machine and in the leftrearward corner there is an upright standard I6. To the left of the forward standard I I there is another flange Il which extends on an arc partly around the turntable and then leftwardly on a straight line to the left side of the machine. This straight portion of the flange I'I, referred to as Ila, serves as a guide rail for slidably supporting the front end portion of a carriage I8, The carriage has a long transverse bearing I9 at its rearward Yend which is slidably mounted on a transverse guide rod one end of which is carried by the standard I6. This carriage supports the phonographic translating means, hereinafter'described, for traveling movement across the record R. This traveling movement is effected by a drive mechanism comprising a U-lever 2| pivoted at 2Ia to a rearward portion of the top plate. This U-lever has a lon-g arm 22 lyingbelow the top frame plate and extending forwardly from its pivot axis, and

vention will be apparent from the following del scription and the appended claims.

In the description of my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure l is a plan View, with parts not important to the understanding of the invention resubstantially on the line 4 4 of Figure 1 and showing the record-clamping mechanism in unactuated position; and

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Figure 4 and showing fractionally the record-clamping mechanism in actuated position.

The dictating machine herein shown to illustrate my invention comprises a top frame plate Iii which has two front and back standards Il in the right half portion thereof (Figure l). Pivoted to the frame midway between these standards is a turntable I2 for supporting a disk record R. To the right of the standards II the frame has an arcuate upright flange I3 spaced from the edge of the turntable and beyond this ange it has a flat horizontal surface I4. To

Ihas a similar but relatively short arm 23 above the top plate, the two arms being joined by a cross member 24 lying within a recess 25 at the rear of the top plate. The upper arm is connected by a link 2B to the carriage, and the lowtable by suitable gearing of which only a gear 29 is herein shown. The turntable is driven from a drive pulley 30 by way of a belt 3l, it being understood-that the pulley 3D is turned by a suitable motor not herein necessary to show.

The carriage I8 has a flat top side 32 provided with a shallow depending rim flange 33 along its right and front sides and with a relatively deep depending ange 34 at its left side. A foot 35 is provided on the left flange 34 and rests slidably on the guide rail Ila (Figure 2) to support the forward end of the carriage. i

The phonographic translating means abovementioned may comprise separate recorder and reproducer units 36 and 3l. These units are mounted end to end in the carriage I8 and have their respective styli 36a and 31a positioned at their adjacent ends for engagement with the record R at adjacent points spaced from each other circumferentially of the record. The recorder is secured at its base end by two screws 38 to a verse `pin 58 carried by a bail 59.

carriage. The recorder thus has a simple up and down freedom of movement in relation to the carriage, which is to allow the stylus 36a thereof tobe lifted from and lowered onto the record, as

desired.

The reproducer is Secured to the under side of a lever 42 which has a fork 43 extending beyond the base end of the reproducer unit. This fork straddles a post 44 which depends from the top wall of the carriage and which has a transverse cutaway 45 (Figure 2) to provide it with two vertically-spaced lugs. Threaded into these lugs are cone pivots 46 which engage the ends of a cylinder 41 to supportthe cylinder for turning movement about its vertical axis. This cylinder carries a transverse pivot rod 48 having conical pivot ends. On the arms of the fork 43 there are bearings 49 and 50 which engage ends of the pivot rod 48. One of these bearings is an end portion of a screw that is threaded through one arm of the fork to enable adjustment ofthe pressure of the bearings against the pivot rod. The reproducer unit has thus a lateral freedom of movement about the pivots 46 and an up and down freedom of movement about the pivot rod 48.

At the left side of the two translating units there is a slide 5I which is mounted on two shouldered screws 52 that are threaded into the left side wall 34 of the carriage. This slide has va raised portion at its rearward end forming a cam 58 which has a flat on its central portion forming a dwell 53a. On the mounting plate 39 for the recorder there is an upturned lug 54 carrying a transverse pin on which there is a roller 55; this roller overlies the rearward portion of the cam 53. Similarly, on the mounting lever 42 for the reproducer there is a pin carrying a roller 56; this roller overlies the forward portion of the cam '53. At the front end of the slide there is a depending fork 51 which straddles a trans- This bail is mounted on a cabinet section 60 which extends lengthwise of the machine and has a front wall arcuate in cross section, this section having aperturedlugs 6| at its ends which are mounted on a crossrod 62 supported bytwo depending standards of the frame of which only the left standard .63 is shown.l The cabinet section is turned to move the slide 5| by a suitable handle 64 frac- 4tionally shown in Figure 2. 'When the handle is in the position occupied in Figure 2, which is its neutral position, both rollers 55 and 56 rest on the dwell 53a of the cam 53 and, as a result, both translating units are held in raised positions wherein the styli thereof are at a clearance distance above the record R. As the handle 64 is moved downwardly from its neutral position the slide 5| is moved forwardly to cause the roller 55 to ride off the back edge of the cam 53 and allow the recorder to engage the record R in response to its own weight; however, the roller 56 continues to remain on the dwell 53a and to hold the reproducer in raised position. Vice versa, as the handle 64 is moved upwardly from its neutral position, the slide is moved rearwardly to cause the roller 56 to ride off the forward edge of the cam 53 and allow the reproducer to engage the record R in response to its weight; however, the

vroller 55 continues to remain on the dwell 53a r and to hold the recorder in raised position. Thus,

r.the translating units may be lowered selectively small opening 66. Depending through this opening is a shaft 61 which has a flange 68 at its upper end forming a bottom wall for the recess, this ange being secured to the turntable by screws 69 which serve also to hold the gear 29 in place. The shaft is journaled in a bearing 10 of the frame and rests on a ball thrust bearing 1|. In the turntable surrounding the recess 65 there is a circular groove 12 the function of which is hereinafter explained.

The record R has a central opening 13 just slightly smaller than the recess 65, which is adapted to receive a record-clamping member 14. This clamping member is carried on the lower end of a plunger' 15. The plunger is mounted for vertical movement in a bearing 16 carried by a bridge 11 that overlies the record and is seated on the standards The bridge is located accurately on the standards by dowel pins 18a (Figure l) and is secured to the standards by screws 18.

In the clamping member there is a cavity 19 (Figure 5) which is covered by a top plate 80 that is provided with a central opening 8| of relatively small diameter. The plunger extends loosely through the opening 8| and has a iiange 82 at its lower end within the cavity 19 to retain the clamping member to the plunger. This retaining flange has both vertical and lateral freedom of movement within the cavity; how ever, a top conical surface on the flange serves normally, by contact of the edge of the opening 8| therewith, to center the clamping member in relation to the plunger. Pressure of the clamping member against this conical surface of the ange is normally assured by a plunger 83 mounted slidably in a cylindrical cavity 84 of the plunger 15, the plunger 83 being pressed downwardly by a compression spring 83a within the inner portion of the cavity 84. This plunger 83 bears against a ball 85 mounted in the upper end of a tube 86 that stands up from the bottom wall of the clamping member. The opening in this tube leads downwardly through the bottom wall of the clamping member and is adapted to receive, as the clamping member is depressed, a beveled axial pin 81 secured to the turntable within the recess 65, the engagement of this pin with the clamping member serving to center accurately the clamping member in relation to the turntable when the clamping member is moved into a downward-effective position.

The shape of the clamping member is such that it has an inverted frusto-conical portion 88 provided with a rim fiange 89 at the top. As the plunger 15 isdepressed the portion 88 enters the central opening 13 in the record and centers the record accurately with respect to the turntable. At the end of the downward stroke of the 'plunger 15 the rim ange 89 comes against the portion of the record surrounding its aperture 13 causing the spring 83a to be compressed so that the clamping member will exert pressure against the record and hold the record in place on the turntable.

In the upper end of the plunger 15 there is a transverse slot 98 through which passes one leg 9|a of a lever 9 I. This lever is preferably made of rod stock and is bent into a U-shape. The other leg 9|b of this lever is pivoted in a pair of apertured ears 92 turned rightwardly from an upright standard 11a at the right side of the bridge 11, the leg 9lb being held in directions lengthwise thereof against play by two spring clips 92a at opposite sides of one of the ears 92.

On the plunger 15 belowthis cross rod there is a washer 93 and between this washer and the upper end of the bearing 19 there is a compression spring 94 which urgesV the plunger l5 upwardly and normally holds the record-clamping member 'I4 in a raisedeineiiec'tive position, this raised-ineffective position being dened by the abutment of the clamping member against a rub'- ber collar 95 at the bottom of the bearing 16.

The plunger 'I5 is actuated downwardly to clamp a record to the turntable by means of a cam lever 95 which is pivoted on an axis parallel with that of the lever 9| as on a stud 91 carried by two depending ears 98 which are sheared on three sides from the bridge and bent downwardly therefrom. Secured to this cam lever is a handle 99 which extends rightwardly across the record and terminates in a lingerpiece 99a. vThe cam lever has a cam slot |00 which receives a roller |9| that is journalled on a reduced-diameter end portion of the leg 9|a` of' the lever 9|, the roller being Yretained in one direction along the record by the abutment thereof against the `shoulder formed as an incident to the reduction of the diameter of the end portion of the rod (Figure 5) and in the other direction by the abutment of the peripheral iiange |0|a of the roller against the cam lever. The cam slot |00 is eccentric with respect to the pivot stud 91 so that as the handle 99 is depressed from the raised position shown in Figure 4 to a downward position wherein it is substantially horizontal with the record-fthis horizontal position being shown `by the abutment of an end tace 96a, of the cam lever 96 against the standard 93-the plunger is y moved downwardly to clamp the record (Figure 5). In the end portion of the downward movement of the handle 99, the roller |9| enters a curved portion |02 of the cam slot |00 to detent the clamping mechanism in its actuated position.

In my Patent No. 2,380,727 aforementioned, a mechanism is'described and claimed for preventing either the recorder or reproducer from being lowered into a normally operative position unless a record is mounted on the record support. This is done so that thefragile styli ofthe translating units may not be impinged inadvertently against the recordebacking member or support, and may not be dragged across the surface of the record support, either of which may cause a f stylus to be'broken or otherwise damaged. By the present invention an improved form of, and improvements in, such safeguarding mechanism are provided. This safeguarding mechanism comprises the clamping mechanism above described as a component thereof. Associated with this clamping mechanism is a restrictive lever |04 for withholding the translating units from being lowered onto the record as the control lever 64 is actuated out or neutral position into its recording and reproducing positions. This restrictive lever has a U-shape and is preferably made of rod stock. It, has one leg |04a pivoted in two apertured ears |03 which are sheared on plunger 'i5 opposite that at which the cam lever `is located (Figure l).

The cross member |045 of this restrictive lever rests on a cam |05 formed as part of the cam'lever 96, and the other leg |040 of the restrictive lever extends leftwardly, as viewed in Figure 1, to terminate below the` carriage I8 ina position below an arm |06 formed `unit from being lowered onto the turntable.

left side of the bridge 11 (Figures 3 and 5).

as part of the mounting plate 39 for the recorder and an arm |01 formed as a part of the support lever 42 for the reproducer. The cam |05 has a dwell which is arcuate about the pivot axis of the cam lever. The leg |040 of the restrictive lever rests on this dwell in all positions of the record-clamping mechanism except in the nal portion of its movement into an actuated position.

In this resting position of the restrictive lever the same serves to withhold either translating In the final portion of the actuating movement of the record-clamping mechanism, however, the restrictive lever registers with a recess |051) in the cam |05 and is thereby released for downward movement. When so released, however, the restrictive lever may or may not be permitted to move downwardly, as in response to its weight,

into ineiective position depending upon whether a record is or is not mounted on the turntable, as is herein next explained.

At right angles to the leg |040 of the restrictive lever there is a detent lever |08 pivoted at |09 to the inner side of a ange l0 depending from the The free end portion of this lever has a depending record-detecting finger that is vertically above the groove 12 in the turntable. This free end portion of the detent lever is embraced looselv by a U-bracket ||2 on the iiange'l I0 to restrain the lever from lateral play. The detent lever is Weight-biased downwardly and also urged downwardly by a tension `spring ||3 connected. between the bracket |I2 and an upstanding detent nger le at the hub of the lever. This detent finger is positioned Vdirectly below the leg |04c of the restrictive lever as shown in Figure 3.

.The central portion of the detent Vlever |08 overlies the record-clamping member 14 and rests thereon, as at I5, when the clamping member is in Iits raised position '(Figure 3). In' this raised position of the lever the detecting finger is held at a clearance distance above the mounted record R. As the record-clamping member is actuated the detent lever |08 will move downwardly with the clamping member 'M to an intermediate position dened by an abutment of the detecting finger against the record R, which abutment occurs when the clamping member '|15 is about midway between unactuated and actuated positions. In the detent ringer 4 there is a recess H5 having an inclined side edge lil which lies directly below the leg |090 of the restrictive lever when the detent lever is in its intermediate position just dei-ined. This recess allows the restrictive lever, when it is released at the end of the actuating stroke of the recordclamping mechanism as above explained, to move downwardly to an ineffective position. In the final portion of the downward movement of the restrictive lever, the' leg A|040 slides against the edge ||1 and cams the detent lever slightly upwardly to free the detecting nnger l from the mounted record. This is done so that the de tecting finger willnot drag on the record during the use of the machine; I

When there is no record on the turntable the detecting linger of the detent lever is unobstructed by reason of the provision of the circular groove 'I2 in the turntable. Consequently, if the record-clamping member is actuated while there is no record on the turntable the detent lever will move downwardly with the recordclamping member 'M throughout its entire stroke. As the detent lever moves to this most downward 4position-which is its effective position-the higher portion of the detecting finger H4 comes directly below the'leg ldc of the restrictive lever. As the restrictive lever is next released during the final portion of the actuating stroke of the record-clamping mechanism, it is permitted -to Vmove only slightly downwardly before it comes to rest on the detecting finger. This serves to lock the restrictive lever in an effective position, as an incident of actuating the clamping mechanism while no record is on the turntable, to prevent either translating unit from being lowered onto the turntable.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that each translating unit is permitted to be lowered only when the record-clamping mechanism is actuated and a record is on the turntable for if (1) the record-clamping mechanism is unactuated, or (2) the record-clamping mechanism is actuated and no record is on the turntable, the restrictive lever is held in a raised-effective position. Thus, the styli are prevented from being brought into contact with the turntable or other record-backing member as the case may be. The mechanism by which this desired result is accomplished is an improved one over that of my aforementioned patent in that I herein control both the restrictive and detent levers directly by the record-clamping mechanism, and do provide a mechanism having very simple parts which cooperate in simple relationship to 'produce the desired safeguarding result in a more dependable and effective manner.

While I have herein particularly described my invention in terms of a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope thereof, which I endeavor to express according to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a phonograph having a rotatable support for a record, and a device actuatable to secure the record to said support: the combination of a translating device mounted for movement into and out of contact with a mounted record and urged towards the record; a movably-mounted restrictive member having an effective position in the path of movement of said translating device for holding said translating device out of contact with the record, said restrictive member being urged out of said path into an ineffective position; a coupling between said restrictive member and said record-securing device adapted to retain the restrictive member in effective position during the rst portion of actuation of the securing device and to release the restrictive member during the final portion of actuation of the securing device; and a detent urged into the path of said restrictive member to lock said restrictive member in effective position, said detent having a portion abutting against said securing device and withholding the detent from Aits locking position when the securing device is unactuated, said portion serving to release said detent for movement -jnto locking position within said first portion of actuation of said securing device, and said detent having another portion for impingement on a mounted record to withhold the detent from reaching its locking position vupon actuation of said securing dev-ice while a record is mounted on said support.

2. In a phonograph having la, rotatable support for a record, and a device actuatable to secure the record to said support: the combination of a translating device mounted for movement into and out of contact with a mounted yrecord and urged towards the record; a movably-mounted restrictive member having an -eiective position in the path of said translating device for holding said translating device out of contact with the record, said restrictive member being urged out of said path into an ineffective position; a direct coupling between said restrictive member and said securing device for retaining the restrictive member in effective position when said securing device is unactuated and for causing the restrictive member to be released when said securing device is actuated; a detent urged into the path of said restrictive member to lock the securing member in effective position; a record-detecting member connected to said detent and adapted to obstruct the movement of the detent into its said locking position when a record is mounted on said support; and a direct coupling between said detent and said securing device for withholding said record-detecting member from the path of mounting and removal of a record on and from said support while the securing device is in an unactuated position.

3. In a phonograph having a rotatable support for a record, and a device actuatable to secure the record to said support: the combination of a translating device mounted to be raised and lowered from and onto a mounted record; a restrictive member movable away from the record into an effective position to withhold the translating device from being lowered onto the record and movable towards the record out of the path of said translating device into an ineffective position; a cam between said restrictive member and said securing device for holding the restrictive member in effective position while said securing device is unactuated and for releasing the restrictive member for lowering movement into said ineffective position only during a final portion of actuation of said securing device; and a detent mounted for movement into the path of said restrictive member to lock the same in said eiective position; a lost-motion coupling between said detent and said securing device for holding the detent in ineffective position when said securing device is unactuated and for releasing the detent for movement to locking position during the initial actuation of said securing device, said detent having a portion adapted to engage a mounted record as said securing device is actuated for withholding said detent from movement into locking position, said detent portion having a free path of unimpeded movement to said locking position upon said securing device being actuated while said support is free of a mounted record.

4. In a phonograph having a rotatable support for a disk record, and a clamping member movable downwardly with respect to said support to secure a record thereon: the combination of a translating device mounted for lowering movement into contact with a mounted record; a restrictive member for holding the translating device from the record; a member coupling said restrictive member to said clamping member to hold the restrictive member in a raised-effective position when said clamping member is raised and to release the restrictive member for downward movement into ineifective position as the clamping member is actuated; and a detent mounted for movement into the path of said restrictive member to lock the same into ineffective position, said detent being held in ineffective position by said clamping member when the latter is in raised position and moved into locking position ase/reci 5. In a phonograph having a support for a disk record, a cooperating record-clamping 'member held normally in a raised-ineffective position, and means actuatable to move said clamping member downwardly and latchthe same in effective position: the combination of a translating device urged downwardly into contact with a mounted record; a pivoted restrictive member having Va raised-effective position for holding said translating device out of contact with the record and movable into a lowered-ineffective position; a cam on said actuatable member for supporting said restrictive member in a raised-effective position' while said clamping member is in raised-ineffec- 'tive position, said cam being adapted to release said restrictive member for movement into said lowered-ineffective position during final loweringr a detent for said restrictive member biased into the path of the restrictive vmember to lock the same in its said raised-eiective position, said detent being held in ineffective position by said clamping member when the latter is in raisedineffective position and released for movement into locking position prior to the release of said restrictive member as the clamping member is moved downwardly into eective position, said detent having a portion arranged in relation to a mounted record to prevent the detent from being lowered into locking position when there is a record mounted on said support.

6. In a phonograph including a support for a disk record, a frame member overlying said support and record, a plunger slidably mounted in said frame member for vertical movement, and a clamping member pivotally mounted on the lower end of said plunger: the combination of a translating device pivoted for lowering movement into contact with a mounted record; a rst lever pivoted to said frame member and having a free end portion coupled to said plunger; a cam member pivoted to said frame member and coupled to said rst lever for pressing said clamping member against amounted record to secure the record to said support; a second lever pivoted to said frame member for withholding said translating device from being lowered onto the record, said second lever' having a position overlying a portion of said cam member to hold said translating device from raised-ineffective position, said cam member being movement of said record-clamping member; and

adapted to release said second lever as the clamping member is moved into an actuated position; a detent lever for said second lever pivoted also to said frame member, said detent lever having ineffective and eiective positions respectively out of and in the path of said second lever, and said `detent lever having one portion for impingement upon a mounted record to prevent movement of the detent lever into effective position while a record is mounted on said support and having another portion resting on said clamping member when the latter is in a raised ineffective position for retaining said one portion of the detentrout of the path of mounting and removal of a record onto and from said support while the recordclamping member is in a raised-ineffective position.

7. In a phonograph having a support for a record, a translating device urged towards the record and releasable means for holding said device from contact with the record: the combination of a record-clamping member mounted for `movement into clamping. position to secure a record to said support, a restrictive member mounted for movement into an effective position in the path of said translating device for withholding said translating device from engagement with the record, a coupling between said restrictive member and clamping member adapted to holdsaid restrictive member in effective position throughout a major portion of the Vmovement of the" clamping member from unactuated to actuated position, and a detent mounted for movement into the path of said restrictive member to lock the restrictive member in said effective position, said detent being urged into its said locking position and heldin ineffective position by said clamping member when the latter is in ineffective position, and record-detecting means connected to said detent and adaptedfor impingement on a mounted record for withholding the latter from movement into said locking position whena record is on said support.

CHARLES W. DANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 'Date 1,783,723 King Dec. 2, 1930 1,968,649 Lucarelle July 31, 1934 2,071,972 Feyner Feb. 23, 1937 2.380,727 Dann July 31, 1945 

